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Tag: REC

  • PDP hails IGP over Imo CP, demands removal of REC

    PDP hails IGP over Imo CP, demands removal of REC

    Following the redeployment of the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, to the Force Headquarters, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate redeployment of the Imo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof Sylvia Agu.

    The party, in a statement on Monday, November 6, commended the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun for being responsive and proactive in nipping potential crisis in the bud.

    The statement, signed by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, made a similar demand on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redeploy the Imo REC over his alleged compromise.

    The call for the REC’s removal is coming ahead of the Imo State governorship election slated for Saturday, November 11.

    The PDP charged the INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu to take a cue from IGP Egbetokun and redeploy Prof Agu in response to the outcry and demands for neutrality in the governorship election.

    The statement said: “The PDP urges the INEC chairman to take a cue from the Inspector General of Police who redeployed the Commissioner of Police in Imo State in response to the outcry and demands of the people for neutrality in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in the State.

    “Prof. Yakubu should forestall an impending crisis in the Imo State election by heeding the insistent outcry, petitions and protests by the people of Imo State, political parties, Civil Society Organizations as well as Ohaneze Youth Council for the removal of the Prof. Sylvia Agu who has been allegedly compromised by the APC.

    “The people of Imo State cannot accept any electoral process with Prof. Agu as REC, given her reported role in the brazen manipulation of the 2023 National and House of Assembly elections in Imo State in favour of the APC, which is still in the public domain.

    “The redeployment of Sylvia Agu out of Imo State is therefore the only way to restore confidence in the electoral process, guarantee a credible election and avert crisis in the State.

    Read Also: PDP congratulates Akobundu

    “This is especially so as there are very disturbing allegations in the public space of clandestine meetings between Prof. Agu and certain APC agents said to have been facilitated by her close relative, who is an APC national officer, ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State”.

    The party called on the INEC Chairman to note that the integrity of an election principally lies in the confidence of the electorate in the electoral process.

    The PDP said Prof. Agu has lost the rectitude as Resident Electoral Commissioner and should not be part of the conduct of the November 11, 2023 governorship election, stressing that her continuing stay in office as REC was vexatious and a recipe for crisis. 

    The party said only the redeployment of the REC can restore the people’s confidence of the Imo people and the integrity of the electoral process.

  • RECs redeployed

    RECs redeployed

    • PVCs collection in Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has redeployed its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Edo and Ekiti states to Bayelsa and Lagos.

    The commission also announced the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states ahead of the off-cyrcle polls in the three states in November.

    In a statement by National Commissioner of Information and Voter Education, Dr. Sam Olumekun, INEC said while Obo Effanga takes over in Bayless, Prof. Ayobami Salami moves from Ekiti to Lagos.

    The statement said the redeployment followed expiration of their tenure.

    Olumekun also said collection of PVCs will only affect the three states where governorship election will hold.

    The statement reads: “In continuation of our preparations for the forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states, the commission has approved the resumption of collection of the Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) for registered voters who could not collect their PVCs before the suspension of the exercise on February 5, 2023 ahead of the last general election.

    “The current exercise only covers the three states where Governorship elections will hold on Saturday 11th November 2023.

    Read Also: INEC redeploys Edo, Ekiti REC, reopens collection of PVC in Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo

    “The PVCs will be available for collection at all our local government area offices in the three states: eight in Bayelsa, 27 in Imo and 21 in Kogi.

    “In addition, the commission has created other designated centres with large number of uncollected PVCs. The details of all centres will be made available by the RECs in the three states.

    “The commission has earmarked week days (Monday – Friday) from 9 a.m to 3 p.m for the collection of PVCs for a period of four weeks – from September 11 to October 9, 2023.

    “The commission once again enjoins all political parties and candidates to conduct themselves peacefully and avoid utterances and actions capable of causing a breach of peace in their ongoing campaigns.”

  • We‘ll cancel polls where ballot boxes were snatched – REC

    Mr Mike Igini, the Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), says the commission will cancel polls in units where ballot boxes are snatched in the state.

    Igini said this while addressing newsmen on the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom on Saturday.

    “We are able to deliver ballot papers and result sheets in various polling units apart from few that have one challenge or the other.

    “What I can tell you emphatically is that there is no election, where there is snatching of ballot papers or result sheets are taken to private homes or somewhere to thumb print.

    “We will not accept it, those things are not going to work here and we are not going to accept it. Those areas will stand as cancelled and we will take them as non events,” igini said

    He however, said that the conduct of the elections was not completely 100 per cent, adding that elections did not start accordingly in few centres in the state due to some challenges.

    Igini said the commission had learned lessons and promised to improve on the governorship elections.

    He added that the commission was able to deliver election materials to all polling units across the state.

    Igini said the elections were paradigm shift, saying that Akwa Ibom had not been conducting elections in the past.

    He expressed displeasure over irregularities in some local government areas in the state.

    The REC said that there were little skirmishes in some local government areas, including Ukanafun, Ikono and Oron.

    “It is for us to study what has happened and I am also waiting to see the number of arrests that has been made by now.

    “This thing that happened is deliberately done by politicians, thugs and conspiracy, we want to see if security personnel will be able to arrest culprits in connection to the disruption we saw,” igini said.

    Read Also; PDP leads Gwarimpa, Life camp polling units

    He said that some politicians massively resisted the enthronement of free, fair and credible elections that the commission tried to ensure, hence the issues.

    Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Odiko MacDon said that no casualties had been reported.

    He however, said that the command was waiting for the announcement of the election results, adding that there and then, there may be some skirmishes.

    MacDon described the election as peaceful and that Akwa Ibom people came out en mass to cast their votes.

  • REC declares ballot papers for Niger East, North missing

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State yesterday said that elections for the senatorial positions of Niger East and Niger North may not hold on Saturday as the ballot papers meant for the zone were missing.

    Prof. Samuel Egwu, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, made the declaration while addressing newsmen in Minna.

    “The issue has been reported to the INEC’s headquarters in Abuja for urgent attention.

    “The officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria saddled with the responsibility of securing the electoral sensitive materials have gone to Abuja for the last batch of the sensitive materials for Saturday’s elections in the state, so we are waiting,” he said.

    Read also: Police to deploy air assets, sniffer dogs for polls

    Egwu said that 85 per cent of the needed facilities for the conduct of free and fair elections in the state had been provided with the non-sensitive materials already moved to various destinations across the 25 local government areas of the state.

    He said that the commission trained 23,000 ad hoc staff for the elections in the state.

    The REC also said that 2,181,400 eligible voters would participate during the general elections in the state.

     

  • 1, 254, 467 PVCs collected in Osun, says REC

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, Olusegun Agbaje, has disclosed that 1,254,467 permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) have been collected by the eligible voters in the state.

    He said the PVCs collected so far represented 75.50 per cent of the total figure of 1,681,930.

    Making the disclosure while holding separate meetings with religious leaders and political party leaders at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office along Gbongan road in Osogbo, Osun State capital, the REC said the balance of 427,463 PVCs (25.42%) are yet to be collected.

    He called on residents of the state to go to where they have registered for collection of their PVCs, saying they have up till Monday January 21 to do so.

    However, the INEC boss, who warned that the PVCs will not be given in proxy, enjoined the prospective voters to keep their voter’s cards safely “because it is going to be the tools for you to elect the candidates of your choice and no other identification document will be accepted in place of the PVCs.”

    He continued: “Accordingly, those that are yet to collect their PVCs are advised to cash in on this opportunity to do so because only those that are with their valid PVCs are going to be allowed to cast their votes during the general elections.”

    Educating the electorate on how to guard against vote voiding, the REC advised the electorate to apply finger print only in one box which according to him corresponds with the party symbol of their choice.

    He also warned voters against violence before, during and after the polls.

    The INEC boss, who denied given PVCs to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as alleged by some political parties, said some politicians’ attitude of wining by all means was a major challenge the commission is facing.

    According to him, wining-at-all-costs attitude by the politicians had led them to deploy all sorts of illicit means such as vote buying, use of thugs to disrupt election process, raising of alarm and dissemination of fake news to whip up unnecessary sentiments.

     

     

     

  • 238,309 PVCs still unclaimed in Nasarawa State – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nasarawa on Thursday said 238,309 eligible voters in the state had yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards for the 2019 general elections.

    Addressing journalists in Lafia, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Uthman Ajidagba, said that the 238,309 were among the 1,436,768 registered voters in the state.

    Ajidagba said that a total of 1,198,459 eligible voters in the state had already collected their PVCs.

    He said that 370,549 voters were registered in the recently suspended Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the state.

     Read Also: Nasarawa: PDP governorship candidate picks running mate

    The REC urged registered voters to visit INEC offices in the various local government areas to collect their cards in order to be qualified to vote for candidates of their choice on election day.

    He said that the recent Osun governorship election, where the margin between two leading contenders was very slim, was an eye opener that every vote matters in an election.

    Ajidagba charged the political parties to sensitive and mobilize their supporters to collect their PVCs.

    He also appealed to all registered voters in the state to go to their various polling units to verify the names on the voters register pasted there in order to effect necessary corrections.

  • INEC to create more voting points in Lagos, says REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, said it would create more voting points in Lagos State to ease accreditation and voting processes across the 8,462 polling units in the state during 2019 general elections.

    Mr Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC spoke at a Stakeholders Meeting organised by the commission in collaboration with the private sector and the Nigeria Policing Programme (NPP) in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there exist 3, 662 voting points created across polling units to reduce accreditation and voting time during elections.

    “After the just-concluded Continuous Voter Registration exercise, we have recorded close to 700,000 new registrants in Lagos, and the implication of that is we are going to create additional voting points.

    “This has become imperative so that we can have a pleasant experience when people go out to vote on the election days.

    “We will ensure that your votes count in 2019. We are determined to conduct the best ever elections in 2019,” Olumekun said.

    According to the INEC boss, the creation of additional voting points is necessary to ease the process and reduce voting time.

    The REC said that the electoral body had improved in deployment of materials and personnel, and transmission of election results.

    Olumekun, who emphasised the need for security of voters, election materials and personnel, urged the stakeholders to continue the advocacy on peaceful conduct and voter education.

    According to him, the successful conduct of past elections in the state can largely be attributed to the contributions of the stakeholders, who have been supportive in the state.

    “I can testify that the stakeholders have done marvelously well in the area of sensitisation and mobilisation of the citizens for all our activities, especially the just-suspended Continuous Voters’ Registration Exercise.

    “There is no gainsaying the fact that the stakeholders here present have a stake in our democracy, of which the conduct of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections is an integral part.

  • Osun rerun: No cause for alarm, says REC

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State Mr Olusegun Agbaje has assured voters of their safety during the ongoing re-run election.

    He said adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure maximum security.

    Agbaje urged voters in the affected units to come out and vote.

    Addressing reporters in Unit 17, Ward 5 in Osogbo where a re-run is taking place, he said the turnout has been impressive.

    “From what I’ve seen here, the process is very calm. The arrangement is quite in order. I believe that by the grace of God everything will end well. There’s no problem. There’s no cause for alarm.”

    Read Also: Osun re-run: Drama at polling units as voters defy heavy rainfall

    On the turnout of voters, he said: “This is just seven minutes after eight and you can see the queues. I believe more people will still come.

    “There will be no problem. We have enough security, so nobody will come and snatch our ballot boxes here.”

    National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Coordinator in Osun, Mr Emmanuel Attah, said his members serving as ad-hoc staff should be better protected.

    He said some corps members were harassed last Saturday, with some held hostage by thugs in their units.

    “We should go beyond this type of election in Nigeria. Thuggery will not move us forward.

    “Security is very tight today and I’m hoping for the best,” Attah said.

  • 1.38m PVCs yet to be collected in Lagos – REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( REC) in Lagos State on Thursday said some 1.38 million Permanent Voter’s Cards ( PVCs) were still uncollected in the state.

    Mr Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Lagos State, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria  in Lagos.

    “We still have about 1.38 million PVCs uncollected as we speak. Only about 15 per cent of the 2017 new registrants whose cards have been produced have come to pick their cards. It is very poor.

    “We have also added close to 750, 000 new registrants, whose cards are still going to be produced and distributed.

    “Of course, the ones (PVCs) newly printed for those who registered in 2017, people are coming to collect them than those which had been there since 2011 elections,” he said.

    The commissioner urged eligible voters whose cards had been produced to visit INEC offices in the 20 local government areas across the state to pick them up.

    According to him, this will enable them to exercise their civic responsibility in the 2019 elections.

    “We are still looking at the possibility of going to meet the people; taking the cards to them, but we are still looking at that. It is going to be a policy issue,” Olumekun said.

    The REC urged the people to be involved in determining those that would represent them in government.

    “We are imploring all stakeholders in this business to educate and sensitise the people, because it is important to get our democracy working.

    “Sensitisation, mobilisation and education is not the business of INEC alone; it is the business of every interest group, for people to come out and perform their civic responsibility,” Olumekun said.

  • INEC registers 537,874 new voters in Kaduna

    …says, 269,787 PVCs yet to be collected

    As the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) closed the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise on Friday, the commission said it registered 537,874 new voters in Kaduna State.

    The commission however said that, collection of Permanent Voter’s Card (PVCs) by the newly registered voters, as well as yet to be collected PVCs would continue until one week before the 2019 general elections.

    INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Abdullahi Adamu Kaugama, who disclosed these during a press conference at the commission’s headquarters in Kaduna on Saturday said, 269,787 PVCs were yet to be collected.

    He however urged voters who were yet to collect their PVCs to do so at local government offices of the commission.

    According to the REC, “With the conclusion of the CVR exercise, in Kaduna State, we have so far registered 537,874, comprising 302,342 males and 235,532 females.

    Read Also: 2019: Edo Central aspirant denies stepping down

    “Those whose PVCs were corrected were 29,179, defaced; 4,018 and lost; 17,298, while inter-state transfer were 8,239 and intra-state transfer; 19,434.

    “So far, 52,507 registered voters have collected their Permanent Voter Card in the state, while 269,787 PVCs were uncollected.” He explained.

    Kaugama disclosed that, with the conclusion of the CVR exercise, the new voters’ list would be displayed at INEC local government offices from September 4 to September 8 for affected voters to crosscheck and validate their captured data, as well as for claims and objections.

    While pledging INEC’s resolve to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2019, the REC assured that, all newly registered voters and those whose PVCs were yet to be printed will get their cards before the general elections.